


get on your knees (beg me to stop)

by exalted_one



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Gratuitous Smut, M/M, Modern Royalty, anonymous sex - sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-16 02:56:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21500707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exalted_one/pseuds/exalted_one
Summary: “Am I allowed to ask where you’re taking me, you brute?” Auguste whispers teasingly, feeling a rush of giddiness at the illicitness of the entire situation. Here he is, Vere’s Golden Prince, her proclaimed heir, sneaking away from his duties for the first time in a long time to rush about forbidden hallways with a masked Akielon stranger. He can feel laughter bubbling up and trying to escape.“You may ask. I may not answer.”Auguste laughs at that, finding himself impossibly charmed.“Is that not, in itself, an answer?”
Relationships: Auguste/Nikandros (Captive Prince)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 122





	get on your knees (beg me to stop)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thewriterofperfectdisasters](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewriterofperfectdisasters/gifts).



> this thing has been a WIP for near on a year now? and I'm so sorry that you had to wait this long for it. 
> 
> this is only loosely edited
> 
> ~~~

Things were supposed to be simple. 

Go to Akielos. Attend Crown Prince Damianos’ coming of age masquerade ball. Establish a friendly rapport with the Crown Prince to ensure the politically calm future of the current alliance between Vere and Akielos. Return to Vere with the mission accomplished and the future peace of both countries well in hand. 

Simple. 

Idiot-Proof, Laurent had even commented. And well, Auguste had agreed at the time. But perhaps he’d been speaking too soon. Although… None of those bullet points have been forsaken or ignored - he’s just taking a short detour from those plans is all. 

Short in the length of time he’s spending on the detour. If he was being more literal his “detour” is actually rather tall and…. _Very_ well built. A true testament to Akielon physicality. 

Auguste’s hands creep up the sturdy suit-clad chest of his tall detour and up his neck to tangle in the tight knot of tied-back dark brown hair that rests inches higher than the crown of Auguste’s own head (and Auguste is not short by any definition, thank you very much). Two large, dark-skinned hands hold his face assuredly between them and one thick thigh is settled between his. 

The hallway they’re in is dark, partially lit, and one of the many that branch off from the main ballroom. They’re probably not supposed to be here. Auguste _definitely_ isn’t supposed to be here, in this exact position, it’s just that… well… He kind of couldn’t help himself. 

The corner’s of Auguste’s dark blue, and very intricate masquerade mask digs into his cheekbones but he’s beyond caring about the mild discomfort, his mouth incapable of complained as it’s preoccupied with a full pair of lips that are biting and kissing him with near abandon. Full lips accompanied by a very talented and witty tongue. 

Auguste knows he’s a sucker for wit. He’s Veretian, he can’t help it. 

Auguste catches himself mid-breathless-moan, pulling the sound back into his throat and the thigh pushes more insistently along the seam of his expensive, hand-tailored pants. He separates his lips from his companions to let his head fall wordlessly back against the wall he’s been corralled toward and those full lips easily change their course to move along his jaw and down the side of his neck - stopped only by the tightly laced collar of his custom jacket. 

The sounds of the ball are far away, but when Auguste focuses past the sound of his own heart racing and the sounds of their heavy breathing he can hear it easily enough. Glasses clinking together, sharp-toed shoes and heels clicking on vast marble floors, laughter and conversation mumbled between friends and new acquaintances - gossip whispered behind raised hands. 

“Come back to me, my siren.” 

Auguste returns his focus on the man in front of him, blinking. “I’m not a beautiful, singing creature.” He mutters half-heartedly and in return he gets a deep, rumbling laugh against his neck. 

“Perhaps you're no creature but all with eyes can see how beautiful you are and,” he pauses to lick a hot line up Auguste's neck that has him gasping and grabbing handfuls of his companion's lapels. “Your body is clearly singing to me.” He continues in Auguste's ear.

Auguste rolls his eyes but can’t stop himself from laughing at the line. His companion pulls away enough for their eyes to meet and for Auguste to see the roguish smirk that’s settled onto his features, even underneath his simple black mask. 

“That was _truly_ awful, and besides, I didn’t leave. One of us should be paying attention to what’s going on around us. I don’t particularly wish to be caught in _flagrante delicto_ in the dark hallways of the Akielon palace with a _stranger_ , thank you very much.” 

“I am paying attention,” The Akielon murmurs and Auguste squints at him doubtfully from behind his mask. “And we won’t get caught. This hallway is off limits to the guests. No one’s coming down this way.” 

“Wha--- _Off limits_? Then we definitely shouldn’t be here.” Auguste sputters and the Akielon grins, showing off bright teeth. 

“Don’t worry, my siren, we won’t get caught.” 

“I’m not entirely certain I find that statement reassuring or accurate.” He retorts. In place of an answer he’s instead grabbed securely around the wrist and tugged enthusiastically away from the wall. His Akielon companion looks down at him consideringly before turning and pulling him down the hallway - further away from the party and it’s Very Important guests that Auguste should probably be talking to at the moment. Probably. Definitely. 

But Laurent is here too and Auguste knows Laurent will somehow have accounted for Auguste disappearing (despite the fact that he really doesn’t ever do this. Like. ever.) and will make sure no one notices his early exit from the festivities. Hopefully. 

“Am I allowed to ask where you’re taking me, you brute?” Auguste whispers teasingly, feeling a rush of giddiness at the illicitness of the entire situation. Here he is, Vere’s Golden Prince, her proclaimed heir, sneaking away from his duties for the first time in a long time to rush about forbidden hallways with a masked Akielon stranger. He can feel laughter bubbling up and trying to escape. 

Between Laurent and Auguste it’s almost always been Auguste following the rules and going to all the proper engagements and meetings. Seeing to all the proper people while Laurent sneaks away unnoticed to hole himself up in the library with ancient texts that are barely legible. 

And yet here he is. Being man-handled by a handsome man in a mask who seems entirely certain in leading Auguste away from the festivities. The confidence of his companion along is incredibly attractive, and the rest of him…. Well. He’d claimed Auguste’s body to have been speaking to him, but Auguste is certain that if that’s true it’s only because he’s answering what the Akielon’s body is saying in the first place. 

“You may ask. I may not answer.” 

Auguste laughs at that, finding himself impossibly charmed.

“Is that not, in itself, an answer?” He whispers and is rewarded with a quiet huff as his companion slows their brisk pace to a crawl as he peeks around a tall corner. He spends all of two seconds looking before he ducks back towards Auguste and crowds him into a small alcove hidden behind a large Akielon statue Auguste had been too distracted to notice. 

“Wha--”

“Shh.” There’s a finger pressed to his lips and he stops speaking long enough to pick up on the clack of slowly approaching footsteps. He raises his eyebrows at the Akielon in front of him and hopes the expression translates despite the fact that his eyebrows are mostly hidden behind his masquerade mask. The Akielon’s lips twitch but his eyes flicker to look past the statue hiding them in it’s shadow for whoever is wandering around. 

“I thought no one was supposed to be down here. I seem to recall you saying the words ‘off limits’” Auguste mumbles against the finger still pressed to his lips and and doesn’t bother holding back the smirk that spreads across his face as the Akielon imperceptibly shakes his head in mocking disbelief. 

“And I recall indicating you should be quiet. It’s just a guard on patrol.” 

His finger is still against Auguste’s lips and just to exasperate him further Auguste opens his mouth and licks it. Light hazel eyes immediately focus back on him, but instead of saying anything or moving his hand away the Akielon instead keeps their eyes locked as he brings up a second finger and gently pushes them into Auguste’s mouth to rest on his tongue. 

Auguste would be lying is he said that the casually dominant action doesn’t send a direct line of heat from his mouth and straight down his spine to settle in his gut. He’d also be lying if he said he didn’t kind of like the weight of those fingers on his tongue. He licks along the underside of them as much as he’s able and is rewarded with a briefly muttered Akielon expletive and those fingers behind pulled from his mouth with a soft sound. That same hand grabs his chin and forces it up just as the Akielon leans down and pulls him into a messy kiss. Heedless of their potential discovery. 

Auguste’s one wrist is still being held captive by his companion’s other hand, but with his free hand he reaches out to grasp a handful of the Akielon’s shirt and tug him in close. He needn’t have worried about the distance, though, because soon enough he’s being crowded back against the wall of their hidden alcove as he’s kissed breathless.

Auguste doesn’t notice the footsteps as they casually continue down the hallway, passing the statue they’re hidden behind and disappearing around a far off corner as they fade into nothingness. His companion does though and he separates their mouths, ignoring the indignant sound Auguste makes at the loss, and once again locking his hand around Auguste’s wrist and tugging him along. 

“The guards are set to patrol at certain timed intervals--” 

“Naturally.” Auguste interrupts, just to be a little shit but he’s ignored. 

“The next shouldn’t be coming around for a few minutes. We’ll make it without them seeing us.” 

He’s speaking so quickly and quietly that Auguste has to strain to hear it. His heart is beating heavily in his ears, still in high gear from their kissing not even two seconds earlier. Going from kissing to running to kissing to running is a bit disorienting, if only for the fact that he really wishes there was less running and far more kissing. 

“We’ll make it where, exactly?” He tries again as they turn down one corner only to almost immediately turn the opposite way down another. He doesn’t bother trying to keep track of their route. This late at night the Akielon royal palace looks even more impossible to navigate than it does in broad daylight. Most might consider the Veretian palace to be an example of the pure excessiveness of Veretian opulence, but the simplicity of Akielon design, especially in conjecture to the Akielon palace makes it incredibly easy to get lost in. One corner looks like every other corner. One hallway a replica of all the others. There’s only the smallest things that stand out, and memorizing them is your only hope of successfully getting anywhere. 

Auguste has never even dreamed of trying to go about the palace at night. Which is why he almost doesn’t notice when they reach the formidable guest wing that most of the visiting dignitaries have been temporarily housed in for the Crown Prince’s ball. But notice he does. 

“The guest wing?” He asks and all he gets is a silent flash of a grin before he’s being urgently tugged along. He tries to count the doors but his attention keeps flickering to focus on the Akielon in front of him, specifically the Akielon’s ass in the black dress slacks he’s currently wearing that are utterly indecent and make Auguste want to do terrible, terrible things. 

“Ah. Here. Just in time.” They duck into one of the doors just as the sound of distantly approaching footsteps registers in Auguste’s ears. Auguste has a brief moment of amazement at his companions timing, and also in how easily he seems to push open the rather heavy Akielon doors with but a single arm, but the thought is quickly lost when Auguste is pushed up against the closed door. The closed door that leads to one of the many guest rooms. A guest room that with just a glance Auguste can tell is most certainly not the one he’s staying in. 

“Wait I-- I have a room.” Auguste says breathlessly and the Akielon raises an eyebrow at him. 

“So do I.” He makes a loose gesture around them. 

“Oh.” 

“But that was very presumptuous of you, your Highness.” Auguste blinks, shocked.

“Presumptuous was the way you accosted me in the hallway mere meters away from the party-goers.” He says almost on autopilot and the Akielon shrugs, unrepentant. 

“I didn’t hear you complaining.” Auguste has nothing to say to that. He really doesn’t. Because he hadn't been. He _definitely_ had not been complaining. The masked Akielon steps in close enough for their chests to touch, and Auguste’s sure his heart is beating fast enough to be felt even through all his layers. The Akielon reaches forward, confident in himself and not at all seemingly intimidated at being in the presence of the future King of Vere, and gently lifts the mask off Auguste’s eyes only to drop it carelessly to the floor. Auguste can’t remember how much Charls had told him the mask was worth and at this point he cant find it in himself to care. 

Auguste reaches up to mirror the Akielon but as soon as his fingertips touch the simple black mask the Akielon steps back and smirks. “What,” Auguste asks, “you can see mine but I can’t see yours?” 

The Akielon’s head tilts to one side, teasingly, his eyes are like molten gold behind his mask. “I already knew what you looked like and who you were.” 

Auguste steps away from the door and back into the Akielon’s space, looking up the few inches at those gold eyes through his lashes. “What if I say please?” He sees the smallest moment of hesitation in those eyes and zeroes in on it; blood in the water. He bites his lip in a way he _knows_ has driven potential lovers insane and makes his voice all breathy. “Please? I-- You wouldn’t fuck me with the mask on, would you? I want to see you.” 

The Akielon doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t step away either and Auguste puts his hands back on his suit-clad chest, slowly pushing them upwards and towards the mask. 

“No one ever says no to you. Do they.” They’re not even questions and Auguste looks up to see him smirking again. 

“Not really.” He admits and one of the Akielon’s hands comes up to grab his chin, his thumb brushing over Auguste’s bottom lip. 

“Maybe, your Highness, if you’re a good boy I’ll let you see.” 

The words themselves are rather innocuous, but the _tone_ they’re said in makes Auguste feel rather hot beneath his coat. And also like he’ll do absolutely anything this Akielon asks him to do. 

The Akielon leans in and Auguste leans his head away, a thought coming to mind.

"Wait." The Akielon leans away but Auguste reaches out and grabs him by the suit lapels. "What's your name? I can't keep calling you just, Akielon, in my head." 

He seems to think about it for a moment before his lips twitch. "You may call me Nik." Auguste squints. "It's a nickname. Giving you my name would be cheating. Besides, your Highness, it's a masquerade night. It's supposed to be anonymous."

Auguste scoffs. "That didn't work."

"Only because you Veretians stand out quite starkly in a room full of Akielons. And I _have_ seen pictures of you. It's my job to be informed." Nik leans in close to Auguste's cheek and his nose skims Auguste's cheekbone. Auguste doesn't bother hiding his anticipatory reaction. Nik slowly starts to kiss along his jaw and down his neck. One of Nik's hands reaches out and starts blindly unbuttoning his shirt but he's clearly preoccupied and when he almost tears a button right off Auguste's hands come up to stop him.

" _Hey_. That's expensive." Nik pulls back to look him in the eyes. He raises a thick brow above the mask. 

"Is it? Are you going to be wearing it again?" The questions brings Auguste up short.

"Well, no, probably not, but---" He's interrupted by the sound of a handful of shiny gold buttons ricocheting off various surfaces and scattering across the floor. His mouth falls open and both sides of his shirt are held in Nik's sure grip. "You---."

" _Oops._ "

Auguste sputters for a second, distracted. He's not really that upset over the loss of the shirt, although Charls will definitely be devastated when he finds out, but now Auguste is just trying desperately not to show how _turned on_ he is. "You know that probably cost more than you make in a year." He tries but Nik shrugs and smirks, sliding his hands around Auguste's back and pulling him in close. The material of his suit jacket is silky soft against Auguste's newly exposed chest.

"Somehow I doubt that."

Auguste’s expression twists in mock surprise. “You think an Akielon makes more in a year than what a Veretian could spend on a jacket for one night?” 

Nik just smirks in return. 

“I think it depends on the Akielon. Now, go to the wall.” Auguste blinks. 

"Pardon?"

"I want you to walk backwards till your back is against the wall behind you." Auguste opens his mouth to object but the look in the other man's eyes is intent, intense, confident and completely self-assured. He closes his mouth and takes a step back, and then another. Keeping eye contact the whole way. The Akielon stalks forward, slowly and smoothly, and something in Auguste wants to turn around and run. Certain he'd be chased and caught like _prey_. "Stop."

Auguste stops but the Akielon doesn't until they're chest to chest again. Nik reaches a hand out and gently pushes against Auguste's chest and Auguste's back comes into contact with the wall. He stays leaning back against it and is rewarded with a predatory smile.

"Good boy."

“I have to admit,” Auguste mumbles as Nik steps in closer and starts to mouth a lazy line down his throat and newly exposed chest. “That this is a situation I don’t normally find myself in.” He finishes breathily just as Nik kneels down on the ground before him and places a soft kiss to the skin just beneath his belly button. 

“Oh? Not used to people kneeling for you, Your Highness?” 

Auguste laughs. 

“I wasn’t talking about that part.” He looks down and the sight of Nik kneeling before him, his golden eyes full of heat and hunger behind their black mask, is almost enough to entirely undo him. Nik reaches a slow hand forward and lets it slowly travel down from Auguste’s waistband to his knee and stopping at the top of Auguste’s excessively intricate boots. It had taken twenty minutes just to tie them earlier in the day and Auguste wants to groan at the thought of having to wait that long to reunite his mouth with Nik’s. 

But Nik begins to methodically and deftly pluck the laces from their eyelets all the while keeping eye contact with Auguste and it feels like mere seconds before the boots are loose enough that Auguste can kick them off. They make a slight crashing sound as they knock something off a nearby side table. Neither of them turn to look. 

“You’re more proficient with Veretian laces than I figured you’d be.” 

Nik smirks and stands once more, getting back into Auguste’s space and bringing their mouths together in a slow and messy kiss, tongues painting teeth with easily swallowed intentions. “I can be very proficient when given proper motivation, my siren.” Nik manages in between filthy kisses and well placed nips to Auguste’s neck that have him arching unapologetically into the absolute wall of muscle the Akielon forms in front of him. 

It could be seconds or hours later when Auguste finally manages to pull himself away from his companion and form a mostly coherent thought, though Nik’s wandering hands prove to be a formidable opponent to such a mission. 

“Are you going to simply keep me here against this wall all night? Or will you be putting yourself to better use?” Nik huffs an amused breath from his nose, his lips ticking up at the corners. 

“Putting myself to better use? My only purpose here is to serve the king of Vere. You think I couldn’t do that against a wall?”

“I’m not the king yet.” 

“No? Too bad. Serving the _Prince_ of Vere doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.” 

Auguste’s mouth falls open in mock shock and Nik actually laughs at that. Auguste hits the back of his hand to the center of Nik’s chest and Nik grabs hold of him and once more tugs Auguste along. This time their journey is not so long, nor so secretive. They travel from the general receiving room into what must be the private quarters, which are nearly as big and ostentatious as Auguste’s are. 

Auguste’s attention is immediately captured by the large, lovely looking bed in the center of the room. A sturdy wooden canopy bed draped in sheer white fabric and spread with pristine white sheets and pillows. Auguste slips out of Nik’s hold and leisurely takes a tour about the room, obviously avoiding the one place he’d really like to be. There isn’t much in the room to indicate who it’s for, other than the fact that it’s clearly meant for someone higher ranking in the Akielon order of things. Nik has next to no personal effects out and about anywhere. Auguste is rather certain his own room looks like a tornado of Veretian accessories has exploded upon every available surface. 

He finally reaches the bed and wraps a hand around one of the corner posts, leaning against it and biting his lip as he looks to Nik, who’s still standing in the doorway just watching him. Auguste raises an eyebrow. 

“Isn’t it your job to serve me? How can u do that from over there?” 

“I said it was my job to serve the king. You just told me you weren’t the king. Besides, I could very easily serve you from over here if you continued to be a good boy and behave as I tell you to.” 

Auguste fights down the physical reaction his body has to Nik’s tone paired with such words. An image of him lying upon the bed while Nik stands at the door ordering him to completion from half a room away is a heady thing to think about. He pretends to think for a moment, flopping down onto his back on the soft sheets and propping himself up on his elbows so he still has a direct line to watch as Nik slowly steps forward, closer and closer to where he is. 

“Well. If you’re here to serve the king, and can’t be persuaded otherwise then I suppose you’ll just have to watch while I serve myself. That or you could go find the king, though, I’m not sure the queen would exactly approve of your job.” He says conversationally and is rewarded with Nik reaching out and looping his fingers in a gentle hold around Auguste’s bare ankle where his foot is planted on the bed, his knee bent to accommodate it. 

“Mmm. Best not do that last part then.” He says just as lightly and Auguste shrugs as much as he’s able, trying for casual and likely failing. Nik’s thumb is rubbing back and forth gently against the ball of his ankle. 

“No, I suppose not.” 

“If the king is out, then it would only be the rational thought to assume that my duties follow down the line. You’re in luck, Your Highness, as that leaves me to you tonight.” 

“Oh?” Auguste pretends to be shocked and is rewarded with Nik using his hold to tug Auguste from the middle of the bed where he’d flopped down to the edge right in front of Nik. He gasps in real shock at the sudden and easy manhandling, his elbows falling out from under him and leaving him looking up at Nik with wide eyes, his legs hanging over the edge of the bed and trapping Nik between them. 

Nik makes a noise of agreement in the back of his throat before he leans down as if to bracket Auguste against the bed but Auguste puts a hasty hand out to stop him. 

“I think we’re just a little uneven here.” He says, breathless, and Nik raises an eyebrow at him over the edge of his mask. “You’re wearing way too many clothes, in my opinion.” 

“Very well.” Nik ducks his head in a short bow, straightening to his full height before catching Auguste’s eyes and holding them. His hands come up and slowly undo button after button, down and down and down until there are no more buttons left and a tantalizing strip of warm ochre skin has been revealed. Auguste sits up just enough to put his hands to the newly revealed skin, following the lines of hard-earned muscle up to Nik’s pecs before pushing out to the sides and helping slide the shirt and jacket off Nik’s shoulders. They fall to the ground with little fanfare but Auguste cant help himself from leaning forward and placing a soft kiss to the center of Nik’s solar plexus. 

When he pulls away it’s to see Nik looking down at him consideringly. He brings a hand up and brushes a careful finger along Auguste’s cheekbone before settling it in a gentle hold along his jaw and leaning down to pull Auguste into a slow kiss. 

Auguste’s hands make quick work of the belt at Nik’s hips while their lips are otherwise occupied and Nik easily kicks his dress shoes off and then his slacks, standing before Auguste in dark, skin-tight boxer briefs that leave very little to the imagination and a lot of evidence to his enjoyment of their current and proposed future activities. Auguste can relate. 

Nik slides his hands down from where they’re cupping Auguste’s face and uses them to gently push Auguste back till he’s once more reclined on the sheets. Auguste goes easily, licking his lips as Nik reaches out and starts to methodically untie Auguste’s pants down the sides, kissing each inch of newly revealed skin as he goes. When they’re both down to just their underwear Nik nudges him until he’s settled up at the pillows, crawling along after him before settling himself with his thighs on either side of Auguste’s. 

Auguste reaches up in another attempt to untie the mask from Nik’s face, tired of the black accessory blocking the entire vision of the man before him, but Nik rears his head back, smirking. He grabs both of Auguste’s hands and pushes them down into the bed above his head, forcing Auguste’s chest to arch on open display. 

“Tsk. Tsk, Your Highness.” Nik teases, leaning his weight more heavily on Auguste’s trapped wrists. “I never gave you permission.” His face is close enough that Auguste goes a little cross-eyed trying to keep those honey colored eyes in focus. 

“I admit I don’t usually have to wait for such things.” Auguste mutters breathily, pulling at his trapped hands playfully. He knows, realistically, that he could probably say the word and Nik would stop everything. But the thought of trying to fight him off if he had to… Well, Nik’s a lot larger than Auguste is, he’s not sure he’d get very far in any aspect of that situation. The thought just serves to turn Auguste on more. He’s nearly completely at this Akielon’s mercy. Something not totally common for a Crown Prince. The feeling is a heady thing, sprouting in his gut and flowering lower. 

“For permission? No. I imagine permission for someone like you isn’t a thing granted but rather a thing _taken._ ” Nik murmurs, rolling his body so that their clothed cocks rub easily and slowly together and Auguste’s head falls back with a quiet gasp. Nik takes advantage of the movement and brushes his lips along Auguste’s neck, switching between small soft kisses and open-mouthed bites along the thicker chords of muscle all down his neck and shoulders. Auguste struggled for an entirely different reason. He’s rather certain if he’s not allowed to touch Nik _right now_ then he’s going to die. But Nik keeps a good grip on him, tightening to the point that Auguste is rather certain he’s going to have a matching set of bruise bracelets to try and hide in the morning from Laurent’s very perceptive gaze. 

“So let me guess,” Auguste tries, unable to stop himself from squirming trying to bring their bodies closer without the use of his hands. “Tonight’s _your_ night to _take_ things?” 

Nik lifts off his neck with one last lingering kiss to look down at him, his lips twisting up in an absolutely feral grin. “That depends, Your Highness.” 

“Oh? On?” Auguste asks, trying to bend his legs at the knee for force Nik to be sitting right in his lap but the move proves unfruitful. Nik’s too heavy and too close to his knees for the maneuver to work, making Auguste pout. 

“Are you going to let me?” 

Auguste stops his squirming and struggling to meet Nik’s gaze directly. 

“I want you to make me.” He divulges after a quiet moment and sees one of Nik’s eyebrows rise over his mask, intrigued. 

“Really? That can easily be arranged.” Nik pushes down pointedly on his left hand in a wordless command to keep it where it is. Auguste contemplates not listening to it for a moment before turning his hand and twisting his fingers into the soft cotton sheets. He’s rewarded by Nik trailing his now free hand till it’s across Auguste’s throat, thumb and forefinger stretched to fit easily beneath his jaw and his head tilts back in an automatic reaction. Nik leans in, his lips brushing Auguste’s ear. “Good boy.” 

A shiver runs down Auguste’s body. Nik pushes his right hand into the bed in another wordless command and Auguste twists it into the sheets despite how badly he wants to reach out and run his hands all over the very fine akielon specimen in front of him. Nik leans back, looking down at Auguste as he lifts first one leg and then the other so that instead of his legs encasing Auguste’s, now Auguste’s legs are on either side of his hips. He doesn’t hesitate in bending his knees and lifting one foot to try and pull Nik pointedly closer. Nik’s lip twitches and he bends back down to bring his mouth to engage Auguste’s in a lazy, open-mouthed affair. 

They kiss for what feels like ages, time blurring for Auguste into a mess of sensations. Nik’s hands firm in their grip and sure in their intentions as they pull his body in or angle him whichever way suits Nik’s purpose. The sheets soft against his skin and contrasted to the solid warmth of the man above him. They pull away for a moment to breathe and even then Nik’s mouth doesn’t seem to leave his skin. It’s like he’s surrounded by warm brown skin and unending muscle. It’s a struggle to keep his hands to himself, tied up in the sheets instead of travelling the wide expanse of tempting Akielon before him but somehow he succeeds. The echo of Nik’s voice saying the words ‘good boy’ ringing in his ears. 

He’s so distracted, trying to keep his hands where Nik left them, that it takes him a moment to hear that Nik’s talking to him, mumbling words into skin as he kisses across his chest. 

“I’m going to leave this bed for a second, you better stay where I leave you.” 

“What? Why?” Auguste manages breathily as Nik gently bites at the skin of his stomach, making him arch both into and away from the soft pain of the contact. He’s got a white-knuckled grip on the sheets. 

“Well, I hardly see this getting as far as you’re hoping without something to ease the way, as it were.” He says, looking up through his lashes and the black mask to meet Auguste’s eyes. Auguste let’s his head flop back and sighs. 

“I suppose then, I grant you leave to do what you must.” He mutters in his best Royal voice, a total contrast to how he’s sounded the rest of the evening so far and it works to make Nik laugh as he sits up and looks down at Auguste spread out beneath him. Nik smooths a hand up Auguste’s thigh, tapping his hip on top of the underwear he’s still got on. 

“I want this gone, and then your hands back where they are, when I get back over here.” 

“And if I don’t?” Auguste teases and Nik tilts his head from one side to the other. 

“Then I can always go find something else to do with my night.” He’s got an eyebrow raised over the top edge of the mask and Auguste pouts, which makes Nik grin and start to slide from the bed. 

“Well, that’d just be quite inconvenient at this point.” Auguste grants, in his most gracious voice and Nik laughs, giving him a quick, considering look before leaning down to kiss Auguste’s cheek. 

“I’ll make it worth your while, Your Highness.” He lingers just long enough to say before walking over to one of the sets of drawers up against the farthest wall. Auguste’s eyes linger on his ass for a moment before he remembers the command Nik gave him and he untwists his hands and briefly struggles to free himself from his boxer-briefs. He moves up the bed until he’s now in the center of it, resting his head on a pillow and grabbing at the headboard instead of the sheets. He closes his eyes for a second, taking a few deep breaths just to center himself. 

While the whole night so far has been going rather easily, and quickly, it’s actually been quite a while since he’s shared a bed with someone else and despite the fact that he feels he can trust Nik it doesn’t make him any less nervous. While many might expect the Prince of Vere to have slept with many people, even on account of just his looks, it’s not exactly true. He’s so focused on trying to make himself less nervous that he doesn’t feel the bed dip as Nik comes back. 

“Come back to me, my siren.” He says, an echo of his words from what feels like hours ago, and Auguste’s eyes flutter open. Nik is looking down at him, his brows scrunched in concern and Auguste gives him a wry grin. 

“It’s… Well it’s just been a while.” He admits quietly and Nik leans his upper body over him. 

“Do you want to stop?” He asks, seriously, and Auguste shakes his head. 

“No.” 

“If you change your mind at any point, let me know.” Auguste nods, looking away from Nik for a moment in mild embarrassment. “ _Auguste.”_ His eyes snap back to meet Nik’s. He’s never heard his name from the Akielon until now. “I want to hear you say it.” 

Auguste sits up, so he’s nearly chest to chest with Nik while Nik’s sitting beside him. “I’ll let you know if I want to stop.” 

“Or if you get uncomfortable.” Auguste gives him an exasperated look. 

“I’m not a virgin, Nik.” 

“No. But I’m… Well I’m not exactly small. And if it’s been a while then I don’t want to risk hurting you in any way.” Auguste’s eyes flick down to Nik’s lap where he discovers that while Nik was also getting oil or lube or whatever from the side dresser, he had also rid himself of his underwear while Auguste’s eyes had been closed. And he’s right. He’s not small. Auguste let’s his eyes slowly rove up Nik’s body till their eyes meet again. 

“I’ll let you know _all_ my thoughts, how about.” Nik finally drops his serious expression to roll his eyes at the suggestive tone in Auguste voice but he takes it for what it is, a submission to his request. Auguste reaches out to put his hand on Nik’s cheek. “I know you’ll take care of me.” He says seriously and is rewarded by Nik leaning in to kiss him gently in what is probably the most chaste kiss they’ve shared tonight. But it helps settle Auguste’s nerves a bit. “How do you want me?” he inquires quietly against Nik’s lips, their foreheads resting against each other and Nik pull back just far enough for them to see each other in focus. 

“I’ll leave that up to you, however you think you’ll be most comfortable.” He admits and Auguste takes a second to think things through but all he can really focus on is how hot all the possible positions popping up in his brain are. 

“It would probably be easiest to be hands and knees for the first time, but I do want to see your face at least once when you take me.” He discloses and Nik leans in to brush their noses together. 

“You’re planning on having me here all night, Your Highness?” 

“Well. If you’ve got some other plans to get to, I won’t stop you. I will be a bit disappointed for sure, since I’m rather positive once I’d had you I won’t want to give you up but…” Auguste trails off.

“I’ll be here all night if you’ll take me.” Nik admisses and Auguste brings both his hands up to cup Nik’s face between them. 

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather you be.” Nik brings a hand up to cover one of Auguste’s on his face, sharing a look with him for a moment before leaning in and kissing Auguste’s cheek rather softly. 

“How about you lay back down then, love.” 

Auguste can feel himself flush a little around the cheeks at the pet name but his brow furrows in confusion. 

“I just told you I wanted you to take me from behind the first time.” 

“Ah, but that doesn’t mean I can’t prep you face to face before then, does it?” Auguste opens his mouth to retort but then quickly closes it and lets himself fall back against the pillows. “Good boy.” Nik rewards and Auguste groans. 

“I am _far_ too into that for my own good.” He mutters and Nik laughs as he settles himself once more between Auguste’s legs. 

“Have you realized that’s why I keep saying it?” Nik asks and now it’s Auguste’s turn to laugh. 

“I figured you kept saying it more cause you like giving orders and having them followed.” He chances and Nik grins. 

“That’s also a perk. You follow my orders so beautifully. Even if you’re a bit of a brat about it at first.” Auguste goes to retort but stops at the sudden sensation of Nik’s strong sure grip around his cock, which has softened a bit in the interim. He takes in a sharp breath as Nik slips a hand along him from root to tip, his thumb moving in a steady circle around the crown before dipping briefly into the slit and making Auguste’s hips jerk unconsciously. 

“Hands up.” Nik orders and Auguste opens eyes he hadn’t realized he’d even closed. 

“What?” 

“Hands up,” Nik nods his chin towards the headboard. “And keep them there.” Auguste groans but does as he’s told, putting his hands back up and wrapping them around two bars of the headboard, wiggling in place for a second to get comfortable before looking down at Nik and pouting. 

“I like touching you.” He acquiesces and Nik smiles. 

“You’ll have your chance. Try to keep your hips still. I’m gonna hold them down, but this’ll be easier without you fighting me.” 

“What?” 

It’s all the warning he gets before Nik leans down and licks a hot line up the underside of his dick and he automatically thrusts up with a gasp. Nik gives him a look and he sputters, indignant. 

Nik brings his forearm up, setting it sideways across the bottom of his stomach and pushing down with easy confidence. This time when he leans back down, keeping eye contact with Auguste he’s expecting it and he tenses all the muscles in his stomach and legs to not thrust up into the contact but it’s definitely a struggle. Same with keeping his hands up and not letting them fall into Nik’s hair and tangle themselves in the top knot that’s somehow still in place. But he manages as Nik laves his cock with a mix of small kitten licks and long flat strokes of his tongue. He places a kiss directly to the head before taking Auguste down to the root without a single second of hesitation and Auguste moans, his head falling back and his eyes closing in both concentration and him being overrun with sensation. 

It feels like mere seconds, but also absolute ages when Nik finally pulls entirely off him and Auguste hears the sound of a lid popping open. He opens his eyes and looks down to see Nik already watching him, the fingers of one hand slick with lube as he rubs it around to warm it. He uses his dry hand to nudge suggestively at Auguste’s legs till Auguste gets the hint and bends both, spreading them wider for easier access. Nik scoots forward till his thighs are a hot brand on the underside of Auguste’s, and he brings his one hand down to circle a finger suggestively around Auguste’s hole. 

“Wait.” Auguste manages and Nik stops moving entirely. “Kiss me.” Nik relaxes and easily leans down and over Auguste to bring their mouths together in a slow kiss. Auguste gives it a few minutes before pulling back just enough that he can speak. “Okay. I’m good. Go for it.” 

He expects Nik to sit back up so he can see what he’s doing more clearly, but instead Nik stays propped up with one arm over him while he slowly pushes a finger inside Auguste with the other. He doesn’t move it at first, giving Auguste a moment to adjust before he brushes their noses together. 

“You can bring your hands down now, love.” He whispers against Auguste’s lips and Auguste immediately does, bringing both down to wrap around Nik’s neck and pull him into another heavy kiss. It helps to distract him a bit from the sensations of Nik finally moving his finger and continuing to prep him. They keep kissing, trading slow easy kisses back and forth as Nik pushes a second and then a third finger into him, murmuring quiet words of encouragement and praise directly into Auguste’s mouth that make him blush and stutter over moans when Nik indirectly brushes against his prostate. He’s got what feels like an iron-tight grip in Nik’s hair but Nik doesn’t complain, if anything when Auguste accidentally tugs too hard Nik seems to be quite into it as he releases a short, sharp breath. But that’s something to explore later so Auguste files it away in some part of his mind for later in the night. 

Auguste can only handle being fingered so long before he grows impatient. 

“Okay, okay. Come on. I’m good, I’m ready.” He moans, and Nik finally pulls away enough actually see him. He looks unsure. 

“I think a fourth finger would be--” 

“You’ve already spent an entire eon getting me here, please. I can’t… I’m going to come, and when I do I want it to be on your dick. So if you don’t get in me in the next minute I’m going to push you down and do this myself.” Auguste interrupts and Nik huffs a hushed laugh at the attitude. 

“I told you before. I don’t want to hurt you.” 

“And _I’m_ telling _you_ that I don’t mind a little pain. Please. I told you that I would tell you how I felt. This is how I feel. Don’t make me keep waiting. I’ve waited long enough.” Nik contemplates him for a second before nodding in deference to his wishes. 

“Alright. Turn over.” He does, flipping onto his stomach as a small bundle of nerves make themselves known. Nik skates a large hand up his side soothingly as he settles into place. Auguste shoves the extra pillows surrounding him to the floor so he’s got some breathing room. “Are you ready, love?”

Auguste nods, turning his head as much as he’s able to see the small amount of Nik he can in his peripheral vision. He can’t hold it for long without hurting his eyes though so he lays his head down on the pillow in front of him, bringing his arms up to settle comfortably around it as well. He can hear Nik tearing open what must be a condom and sliding it into place before he can hear the wet sounds of Nik slicking himself up. The next thing he feels is heat all along his back as Nik leans over him, kissing his neck just once and then keeping his head right by Auguste’s. 

“I’m good.” Auguste says, answering Nik’s wordless question and then he feels the blunt pressure of Nik’s cock against his hole. He takes a single deep breath, letting it out slowly, and Nik takes that moment to slowly start to push his cock inside. The burn of it is a consuming thing, and Auguste has a moment to think about how he probably should have let Nik get to four fingers but it’s too late now and he’s still too impatient for it anyways. 

Once Nik has bottomed out, after a moment that seems to stretch on forever, Auguste pulls in another deep breath and struggles not to automatically tighten against the intrusion. Nik was right, he is big. Easily the biggest Auguste has ever taken. He’s never felt this full before, and even though Nik has paused to give him a moment to compose himself Auguste can feel a shiver travel up his spine as even just the slightest of movements makes Nik rub against his prostate. Nik leans more of his weight down onto Auguste, choosing to wrap an arm around Auguste’s chest and pull them in close enough for Auguste to start overheating from their proximity instead of propping himself up above him. His breathing is a steady sound in Auguste’s ear. 

“Okay. You can move now.” Auguste manages unevenly. Nik places a chaste kiss to his cheek in confirmation, but he stays right in close to Auguste and doesn’t pull away. Only his hips move as he slowly pulls out before slowly pushing back in and Auguste can’t help but moan. He can feel Nik’s body above him, skin sliding against skin and no one’s ever taken him quite this intimately before. And it is intimate, even if Auguste can’t see Nik’s face (regardless of the mask). Because Auguste can feel every single part of Nik against him and over him and around him and all he can smell is whatever cologne Nik is wearing as well as the musky scent of his sweat and all he can hear is Nik in his ear. And then Nik pulls out again and pushes back in a little faster, a little harder than he did last time and Auguste loses his breath on a gasp, one hand automatically reaching up and anchoring it in Nik’s hair, holding him close. 

“Again.” He breathes, and Nik obeys. 

He loses himself to their rhythm. He doesn’t try to hold back his moans or his gasps and Nik seems to relish hearing them because he keeps whispering words into Auguste’s ear and his neck and his shoulders. Words of encouragement and endearment and praise all blur in Auguste’s mind as all he can focus on is the feeling of them moving together. He rocks back as far as he’s able to in Nik’s hold, meeting Nik thrust for thrust but it’s not enough. He’s been slowly climbing closer and closer to release but nothing seems to be able to push him over the edge. Nik won’t go faster than a slow but brutal twist of his hips, nor does he listen when Auguste asks for faster or harder and Auguste is going out of his mind for need of release. 

“P-please. Fuck, please Nik. I can’t.” He tries, stuttering over his words at another slow thrust from Nik and tightening his hold in both Nik’s hair and the pillow in front of him. He’s rather certain he’s close to crying just from sensational overload alone. Luckily Nik seems to take pity on him, and the other hand that he’s just been using to touch Auguste wherever he could slips around Auguste’s hip and underneath him to wrap around his cock. He pulls in time with his thrusts, which helps to drive Auguste even more insane but he can also feel it helping to push him further and his breathing picks up. 

It doesn’t take much longer than that for him to come with a broken off gasp and he loses himself for a short time. He distantly registers Nikandros pulling out entirely and tightens the grip he still has on his hair. 

“Where are you going?” he mutters into the pillow and Nik laughs. 

“I’m giving you a moment.” He answers and Auguste grumbles wordlessly for a second before lifting himself enough to turn and look Nik head on.

“I want you to come inside me. I want to feel you.” He says and Nik blinks for a second before leaning in and kissing him thoroughly. 

“I can do that.” 

Auguste nods, turning around and laying down again, holding the pillow and relaxing as Nik pushes back in. It’s only a few more thrusts before Nik comes with a groan, still leaning down over Auguste, and his hand tightens in its grip on his hip enough that Auguste knows he’s going to have a bruise there as well. He winces at the over-stimulation when Nik pulls out again but can’t help but laugh as Nik flops onto the bed beside him. 

They’re quiet for a moment, Auguste listening as Nik’s breathing evens out back into a normal range before he reaches out runs his fingers along Nik’s chest in idle, mindless patterns. He doesn’t realize Nik’s watching him until Nikandros brings a hand up to catch his and hold it still. He looks up and watches as Nik pulls his hand up and presses a kiss to his open palm. His heart pounds an off-kilter beat in his chest and he leans up and in to kiss Nik directly. 

They waste a few more moments of the night just laying there kissing before Auguste pulls back, unable to take it anymore. He brings a hand up to tap suggestively at the mask Nikandros is still wearing. He raises an eyebrow. 

“Have I been good enough for you to let me see?” He asks, referencing Nik’s earlier statement and Nik pretends to think on it a moment before he surges up and pushes Auguste back into the bedsheets. 

“Mmmm I don’t think so. Not yet.” He teases and Auguste actually whines, his bottom lip curling into a pout. Nik just leans down and bites on his bottom lip, tugging it with his teeth and sending a line of heat down to Auguste’s cock. It twitches against his stomach. 

“Nik.” he nearly begs and Nikandros laughs, kissing him properly and making him forget his current quest for a few minutes. 

It doesn’t take much for him to start becoming aroused again, especially with such an attentive bed partner, and it doesn’t take long for Nik to notice. 

“You weren’t kidding about me spending the night, then.” He tests and Auguste puts on fake casual expression. 

“Well. It’s up to you, really. But I have one stipulation.” 

“Oh?” 

Auguste bites his lip before pulling Nik down so he can whisper against his lips. “You have to lose the mask sometime.” 

Nikandros laughs. 

~~~

Auguste wakes slowly, coming into awareness of his body in slow waves. His muscles are sore in that delicious way that speaks of thorough use and his eyes catch on faint finger-shaped bruises on his wrist before they find something far more interesting to focus on. 

Golden skin stretched out in vast valleys and hills before him, rising and falling with the slow breathing of a deep sleep; faintly illuminated by the rising sun coming in through large windows that Auguste hadn’t noticed the night before. He reaches out and lays a hand upon a shoulder blade, trailing barely-there swirls and tracing the natural lines of Nik’s back. 

Nik makes a quiet sound of awareness, his shoulders moving beneath Auguste’s hands as he turns his head so their eyes meet. It takes Auguste a moment to realize that those golden eyes are no longer framed by black velvet. 

“Good morning, my siren.” 

Auguste bites his lip against the exasperate smile that wants to form, instead innocently raising his eyebrow and reaching out to touch one of Nik’s eyebrows. He taps it gently, twice. 

“Forgetting something?” He answers, just as quietly, and Nik turns till he’s mostly untangled from the sheets and able to lean up and over Auguste to bring their faces more closely together. His hair falls down in dark curly curtains, the tips brushing against Auguste’s collarbone and tickling him with their softness, finally free from it’s hair elastic. 

Auguste's hands are slow in their travels. Up the line of his jaw, across his cheekbones, down his strong nose and smoothing down his eyebrows. His eyes are like molten gold in the early morning light. He’s easily holding himself above Auguste, his arms bracketing Auguste in between them and their legs entwined. Auguste pushes a lock of curly brown hair behind his ear.

"Disappointed, your Highness?" Nik's voice is soft, calm, and Auguste's lips twitch up into an easy smile.

"Yes." Nik doesn't even blink. "I wish I'd managed to convince you to take the mask off at least once while you'd taken me. I wish I'd seen you. All of you." Nik's head tilts consideringly. He stays silent. Auguste traces the line of his full bottom lip and laughs softly at the answering smirk that spreads beneath his thumb. "I'm aware of who you are, Nikandros." Auguste lifts his eyes to meet Nik's. "There's not many men I know who are part of the Akielon royal entourage who could claim your nickname, or your familiarity with me."

"Observant."

"Veretian." Auguste counters and is then pushed more firmly into the bedsheets by a solid, dark skinned chest.

"Well. We wouldn't want to leave the Veretian Crown Prince disappointed on his visit to Akielos, would we?" He purrs and Auguste opens his mouth to play along but he's interrupted when their lips are softly joined together and he promptly forgets why he wanted to speak in the first place. His hands glide up into the hair that's now loose from it's tight top-knot and he pulls Nikandros in as close as he can, glad that it’s early enough in the morning that they’ve still got plenty of time before anyone is going to send a search party for him. 

~~~

“I can’t believe,” Laurent hisses quietly beside him in Veretian as they walk the long marble corridors to their official meeting with the royal family of Akielos. “That you disappeared without even saying hello to the royal family and you left me to clean up your mess _so you could go get dicked down by some foreign dignitary, what were you thinking_?!” 

August sees his guard Lazar trying and failing to hide a wide shit eating grin and his laughter. He feels his cheeks heat up involuntarily and he keeps his eyes forward, his posture perfect as he tries to think up some smarmy retort to say. Lazar beats him. 

“Well, your highness. He was probably mainly thinking about getting laid.” 

Lazar breaks from his position to Auguste’s left, turning so he’s walking backwards and facing them both. His sharp canines are easily viewable in his grin. 

“I have to say I’m rather surprised at your pace this morning, lord, there’s hardly a limp to show for your night at all.” 

“And morning.” Auguste can’t help but add and Lazar’s face somehow impossibly grows brighter. 

“And morning?” he crows, delighted and Laurent waves a flippant hand in a blatant signal. Jord’s foot completely unsubtly sticks out and trips Lazar up, causing him to flail wildly for a moment before he can right himself. He rolls his eyes at Jord’s back and raises an unimpressed eyebrow at Laurent but turns around and resumes his position anyways. 

“Who was it.” It’s not even a question from Laurent, just a flat sequence of words and Auguste bites his lip as he contemplates whether to hold his tongue or not. “ _Auguste._ ” 

He sighs and brings his hands around in front of himself, folding them together. They come to a stop outside two large, dark wooden doors, Akielon guards positioned at either side paying them no mind. 

“Nikandros.” he mumbles, unintelligibly and Laurent raises two sharp golden eyebrows at him, unimpressed. “I was with Nikandros.” He says, louder and hears Lazar suck in another delighted gasp. Laurent turns and points his finger at Lazar. 

“You’re waiting out here with the Akielon guard.” 

“Wha- awe, come on boss--” Lazar whines and Laurent spins in a sharp turn, dismissing him and coming to face Auguste head on. He takes a step closer and just looks up into Auguste’s eyes for a moment, searching. After a moment he sighs and the angry posture he’d been holding eases into nothing. He shakes his head and gives Auguste the smallest of wry grins. 

“I can’t believe you.” 

Auguste shrugs. “I’d like to come up with some excuse but--” 

Laurent snorts, which is a rare thing in itself when they’re home let alone when they’re in a foreign country they’re trying to impress. “Please, I have seen him. He’s exactly your fucking type.” He mutters and Auguste’s brow furrows. 

“I don’t have a--” 

Laurent raises a pointed brow. “Big. Bigger than you, big. And snarky. In every video or online post from the Crown Prince of Akielos, the Ambassador has something sarcastic to add. Speaking of his position as Ambassador, that leaves him in a convenient position to visit you and for you to see him, should you wish to. Seeing as he’s the Ambassador _to Vere._ ” He points out as if Auguste’s mind hasn’t been overwrought with thoughts of future dalliances the entire morning. Auguste rolls his eyes. 

“Fine. I might have a type. Sue me.” 

“I might. Simply as payback for the awkward position you put me in last night but I think I’ll save that and get back at you later when I can properly think of something.” Auguste frowns for a moment, thinking of all the watching his back he’s likely going to have to do. Or grovelling. When Laurent wants to get revenge, he manages to always make it entirely humiliating and unexpected. They’re interrupted by the large doors to the main study opening and an aide waving them in, announcing their arrival to the people inside with little fanfare. 

It’s to be a more casual meeting today between the Veretian and Akielon royal families, and Auguste knows his parents were invited to breakfast with the King and Queen of Akielos and are most likely already inside. This is confirmed as he walks in, Laurent beside him, but is easily dismissed from Auguste’s mind as he looks about the room to the other occupants. He and Laurent bow briefly to King Theomedes and Queen Egeria, he recognizes Vannes the Veretian Ambassador to Akielos over in the far corner talking to a few aides. And then his eyes flick to the right and meet with a pair of amused, golden eyes. 

Nik flicks a faint, subtle wink his way and he can feel his face heat. 

“Auguste, so fine of you to join us.” Aleron starts and Auguste internally groans. Apparently Laurent wasn’t the only one to miss his absence the night before. This trip is clearly off to a great start. What was it Laurent had said? Simple? Idiot-proof? 

He chances one last look at Nik just to see his lips twisted up at the corners in blatant amusement. 

At least the relationship between Vere and Akielos looks to be improving in the not so distant future. 


End file.
